1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer-driven data management systems. More particularly, the invention concerns a method and apparatus for performing an omnibus search providing a consolidated view of an online service subscriber's online and local data objects, and for conducting additional operations such as viewing, changing, and sharing the data objects.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the advent of the “information superhighway” various online services came into existence. These services provide tools for an incredible variety of functions for their users, which may be one-time guest or long term subscribers. These online services enable users to search the worldwide web, store digital photographs online, read news stories, send and receive e-mails, and well as many other tasks. One side effect of these many services is the explosion of data that somehow has to be stored, organized, managed, and otherwise processed.
One of the leading Internet access and online content providers today AMERICA ONLINE CORPORATION®, located at 770 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10003, (hereinafter referred to as “AOL®”). Although different online data management systems already exist, and some may even enjoy significant publicity and use today, AOL® engineers and software designers are continually seeking to improve the performance, efficiency, and functionality of such systems. In this spirit, one area of possible focus concerns the difficulty that online users face in reconciling, managing, and comprehending the assortment of data objects dispersed among various online and offline storage sites.